All the latest from author J.K. Norry

compassion

[This is the third part of a journal entry that was originally written between October 30th – November 3rd, 1997 (start with Part 1: The Ancient Automobile here). You can read what Today Jay has to say about what Yesterday Jay wrote in the Post Script. Enjoy!]

I recall reading a short essay by a monk who helped people in a hospital. He told a story of a little girl bring brought in near death. Her parents had been killed by pirates, and a pirate had raped and beaten her and left her for dead. She did die, but not right away.

The monk felt sympathy for the girl, then in a burst of insight he did something seldom done: he felt sympathy for the pirate. He realized that the man had been born and raised in a situation where this behavior was what was shown to him and demanded of him. He realized that he could have become that pirate just as easily as he had become a monk. He saw that if we could look upon that child as a innocent victim of circumstance, those same eyes could look upon that pirate as an innocent victim of circumstance. Continue reading “Why All the God Talk? Part 3 of 4: Selective Compassion”→

[This journal entry was originally written on October 29th, 1997. As always, you can read what Jay thinks about this subject now in the Post Script.]

Wherever you are, whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, whatever you do; you deserve happiness. Don’t get caught in a bitterness trap, or a fearful cycle, or even a comfortable cycle. Whether it’s “I’ve done this nearly my whole life; I can’t make up for the wrongs I’ve done, I can’t change…” or if it’s “Well, I’ve done well, nobody despises me, plenty of people love me, I’m all right like this…”, you’re falling for the same trap. Whether you’re perfectly comfortable or perfectly miserable, you can find a greater degree of happiness, and all it takes is acknowledging love. Continue reading “I Completely Disagree”→

[This entry was written over a two day period, and is a continuation of Jay’s journal from 1997. As always, you can read what Jay thinks about this subject now in the Post Script. Happy reading! ~ Dawn]

10/24/97

Through interpretation we can find serenity, or peace. Realize that the things you are hurt or upset by only hurt or upset you because you are programmed to react this way, and you will realize how you are denying yourself your own happiness. And Happiness denied, even for an instant, is the most blasphemous thing you can do… whether you are an atheist or a devoted priest. Continue reading “Interpreting Forgiveness”→

[This journal entry is from February 7th, 2005. As always, Jay’s current thoughts about this entry are in the post script – Dawn]

Judgement

I’ve always been one to argue that we must judge, that a mind without judgement creates a life without standards. It’s true, too, and a good point. If you don’t see clarity of thought as being preferable to being drunk every night at the corner bar, why choose the clarity? If you can’t see that being in a relationship with a loving and thoughtful person is more enjoyable than being with someone who is mean and selfish and abusive, why would you choose to not get knocked around on a regular basis? If you cannot judge earning money doing what you were born to do as being “better” than working a menial job that you hate, why choose at all?